When Bella went to Forks
by mcgeorgescu
Summary: When Bella decided to move to Forks, she thought it was going to be easy. But what she found was a high school nemesis, strange occurrences and dangers lurking in the background. Will she survive? Will she trust the Cullens? [Twilight AU, Bella x Edward, vampire Bella, different worldbuilding, new characters]
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: A little heads up about this. It's going to be kind of different from Twilight, as I'm changing some things, so it's non-canon. Vampires are not going to be so perfect and immune to everything. There will be downsides of being a vampire. And I might introduce some new unnatural categories, but you will find out in time. We'll have Bella and Edward, but they will fall in love differently. There will be the entire Cullen coven, but not as high school students. And their powers will have some limitations right from the beginning. I'll mostly right in POVC, Bella's and Edward's, and I might add some new voices in time. I hope who ever reads it will enjoy it. **

**Disclaimer: Twilight series belongs to Stephanie Meyer, and I might use elements from P. fanfic which of course belongs to PAL (You should really check her blog for some great canon fanfic). **

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The police cruiser was gently heading to the small city of Forks, a place known for its rather capricious, gloomy weather. A day of sun in this area was believed to be a rare event, gladly celebrated by its inhabitants with walks in the surrounding parks or on the nearby beach. Today was not such a day and the girl in the front passenger seat sighed. It's a long way from Phoenix and she would sure miss the sunny days.

"All right, Bells?"

"I'm fine, Dad. It's just so gloomy, you know?"

She watched the gray clouds swirling on the sky in front of her, announcing the rain to come.

"At least it's not raining yet. And with a bit of a luck, it will rain only in the night."

"Amusing, Dad."

"Bet my surprise will cheer you up," he said with a faint smile playing on his lips.

Bella looked at him with her eyebrows raised. A surprise? What could he possibly do to make her feel better? His last idea of a surprise was a fun, fishing trip to some lake, trip which ended terrible for Bella when she tripped out of the boat and almost drowned. Since then, lake trips were a total no-no. Still, she decided not to ask about the surprise.

"How's life as Chief, Dad? Caught any killer recently?"

"No. Only some petty thieves, nothing exciting," he responded watching the road. "But boring is good, it means peace and low crime. Nothing like Phoenix where the crime rate is way higher," he added with a side glance towards Bella.

"Well, Phoenix is way bigger than Forks. And I read somewhere that bigger cities attract more psychopaths."

Charlie fell silent. They rode this way for about a quarter of an hour until he broke the silence. "How's Renee?"

"You know Mom. Always finding something new to do. I think she's into pottery now, although I'm not sure."

"Good, good. I understood she took well your moving?"

Bella sighed. Not another discussion like this. She must had a dozen through the phone.

"Yeah, Dad. She's fine. She will be happy, she'll get to travel with Phil and see his games." He huffed. "Besides, I want to live with you. We only see each other a few weeks a year which is hardly fair. And in a couple of years, I'll go to college and..."

Charlie expression softened a bit. "I'm happy you came here. But I still think there is more."

Bella looked out the side window. Cop instincts apparently don't ever take a break. There was more, but it was too personal, and it made staying in Phoenix rather awkward and painful. But her other reasons, albeit secondary, were also valid. She did want her mother to be happy, as her moping around the house whenever Phil was on an away game made Bella uncomfortable, almost like a burden. And she wanted to be closer to her dad, as she didn't really know him enough.

After a while, the car pulled in front of a two-bedroom house, looking small, but comforting. It was their home, Charlie's and Renee's, for about 7 months until Renee decided to take Bella and leave. Bella looked towards her west bedroom's window, figuring it was probably looking the same as in every summer she visited Charlie. The scenery surrounding the house was the alien green she couldn't get accustomed to.

In front of the house, she remarked a peculiar item: a red cherry, old Chevy truck. She and Charlie got off the car and while closing the car door, she asked him "What's that?"

"That's the surprise, Bells."

Bella blinked rapidly. "The surprise. You mean you bought it..."

"For you, of course. Your mom told me you were saving for a car and I figured I should check the market to find you the best offers, but I thought you would really like it..." Charlie's voice trailed.

"I love it! It's so quirky. But it looks kind of old. Are you sure I won't have problems with it?"

"Yeah. Don't worry. It was Billy's. Remember him? My buddy from the reservation. We use to go there and you would play with his children?"

"Rachel? Rebecca? Yeah, I think I remember them."

"Anyway, he changed the engine when he bought and it runs well. His son, Jacob, took a look at it and changed some pieces. I'm sure it will be fine."

"Thanks, Dad. You didn't have to do this–"

"Nonsense. You need a ride, you don't want to go in the cruiser."

Bella laughed. "You got me there. I should unpack."

"And sleep. Tomorrow's a big day. First day of highschool. I hope you'll like it."

Bella hesitated for a second, then walked to her father and hugged him while saying "Thank you, Dad. For everything." Charlie patted her awkwardly on the back.

The night hadn't passed as quickly as Bella hoped. She was homesick, as much as she didn't want to admit it to Charlie. She missed her mom, her house, her sunny Phoenix, her huge high school where one could go on unnoticed. It was a big change, so her insomnia kicked in fully, not letting her sleep until midnight. It was no help that the house remained mainly unchanged, with remnants of Renee's time there: the sunny cupboards in the kitchen, the light blue and yellowed lace curtains in Bella's room, the wedding photos on the fireplace mantel. The continuing rain, as predicted by Charlie, did nothing to soothe Bella.

In the morning, she decided she was going to be strong and face her first day at Forks High School. How bad it could be? Her new car ran good, albeit noisy, but at least it felt safe and warm. A lot of cars seemed old like hers, but there were a few newer models, probably belonging to the popular kids.

First class, English, was pretty dull. Bella read almost everything on the required list for class, and even studied them at her old high school. She would convince her mom to send her back her old essays.

"Isabella Swan?" Her thoughts were interrupted by a mousy looking-guy while she was leaving the English class. It was the kind of guy that looked like a geek.

"I prefer Bella." She also observed that some of her classmates were also staring at her, and shifted her position.

"What's your next class?"

"Um, I think Government." She checked her schedule. "Jefferson, building six."

"I'm headed towards building four. I can show you the way to class."

"Thanks– "

"Eric. My name is Eric."

He walked her to her destination, while making small chit-chat regarding Phoenix and weather. Bella thought that he probably liked her, but her mind wasn't on boys. She had enough of that in Phoenix and now, she had to concentrate on school.

A girl stood out in the crowd of not quite numerous people. Bella had Spanish and Trig with her and both times, she got a negative vibe as if she did something wrong. But she was sure she didn't as she sat by herself, only making acquaintance with the people that came to her, a very few.

When walking towards the cafeteria, to grab some quick lunch, the girl stopped her in the hallway. She was a bit shorter than Bella, with dark curly hair and she glared at Bella.

"Since you don't seem to have any respect, I decided to come to you. I'm Jessica."

"What do you mean?"

"It's polite to introduce yourself when coming to a new place. Wouldn't want anyone to think you are a weirdo, right?" There was a menacing undertone in her saying, and it hit her. She was the popular one. At least, one of the popular kids. Every high school has some and why would Forks be any different.

"Sorry. I didn't realize. I'm Bella Swan."

"I know." Jessica started circling Bella and assessing everything about her. "Your clothes seem rather plain and you are so pale, despite coming from Phoenix. No makeup. Average haircut. Dull brown color for both your hair and eyes. I'm sure you were never popular in your high school."

Alarm bells started in Bella's head. This girl is a vulture set to tear her apart, chew her and leave her to rot. Even though, she didn't perceive her as strong, Bella didn't want to feel weak. So, she straightened herself and tried glaring back at Jessica.

"I'm guessing you are a bookworm, as your former grades seem high." Jessica was now looking on her phone. "Your car is horrible. But there might be hope for you." She looked up to Bella. "I can make your life easy if I want to. If not… I don't think you don't want to find out. Understood?"

Bella despised that girl. But she didn't want a hard life. Being exiled to Forks was enough of a heartache for her, she didn't need a mean girl on her tail. "Let's say I understand. What do you want?"

Jessica smiled. "I will let you know." And with that, she left Bella on her own.


	2. Chapter 2

Bella was sitting alone, at lunch, staring at her tray of untouched food that she took out of reflex. She wasn't hungry at all as Forks wasn't what she expected. She thought that in a small town like that petty dramas were something of a foreign nature. Instead, she was targeted by Jessica Stanley from day one. A couple of day passed since their encounter with no other word from her. Bella was becoming more warily as the silence meant that Jessica probably wanted nothing from her, so her school life was going to be at least uncomfortable.

"May I sit here?" A tall, dark haired girl asked, standing close to one of the table's chairs. She had a pair of stylish, round glasses and she seemed shy. "I'm Angela Weber." She was not carrying a tray.

"Sure. Be my guest." Bella answered pointing to the chair. They both sat in silence for a few moments, Bella watching her closely.

"I think I know you," said Bella. "We played sometimes when I was little, right?"

"You remember. It was kind of a long time ago."

The awkward silence continued. Bella was not sure what to say next and her guest didn't seem too loquacious. Why was she here, staying with her? Finally, Bella broke the silence.

"I assume there's more. You didn't stop here just to stand there."

"Of course not. I'm sorry. I usually go to Jess's table or to one close to it, but you seemed lonely here–"

"And you have a message from 'Jess' I suppose."

"Not really. I came on my own. I don't usually do this. But you were nice with me when we were little. So I have a bit of advice for you. Don't cross Jess, she doesn't like it and she can be really nasty."

"Gee, you don't tell. And how do I do that? By trying not to breathe the same air as her?"

Angela looked sideways and leaned closer to Bella, urging her to do the same. "It's actually simple: give her what she wants, don't go after something she wants or even wanted, and share gossip with her."

Bella sighed. Life was becoming even more complicated and she didn't feel quite up to these games. She started massaging her temples. "And what does Jessica wants usually?"

Angela smiled. "Well, she's super lazy. So, she wants homework."

"Come on! Such drama for homework?"

"Shh shh, she will hear us. And it's not just homework, it's also boys, and photos, and newspaper articles. Sometimes teachers. She runs the gossip mill. She can make you or break you depending on her mood."

"This is so stupid." Bella watched Jessica. She was staying in the middle table, having a good look at everyone in the cafeteria. Next to her right, a blonde, tall girl was laughing at a joke made by some of the boys at the table. Jessica noticed Bella's gaze and smiled, raising her soda in a salute. Bella mimicked her.

"Who's the girl next to Jessica?" she asked Angela.

"Oh, that's Lauren Mallory. Her right hand. Even more nastier, but more dumb."

"She's got a whole clique I guess," said Bella still watching their table. She shifted her eyes towards Angela. "So what homework will she give me?"

"What classes do you have with her?"

"Trig and Spanish."

"Trig definitely." Angela remarked Bella's incredulous look. "I do her English homework. And I know Ben is doing Spanish already. And she expects at least Bs."

"Trig..." Bella was mumbling. "How does she go on by at tests? I mean if she doesn't do her homework–"

"Duh, she cheats on tests too."

"Of course, why would I expect anything else." Bella sighed again. "And if I don't do what she wants?"

"You see that girl at the corner table with the black hoodie on?" Bella nodded as she saw the lone girl sitting alone, slouched over the table and listening to music. "She made Jess angry one day. Soon after, a rumor started going around school. That she and some guy had sex in her car, in the school parking lot. The guy was not her boyfriend. When her boyfriend found out, he started yelling at hell in the hallway and calling her names. He didn't believe her it wasn't true."

Bella's eyes were wide open. "God, this is so awful."

Angela nodded. She was frowning. "It was bad. She got called by the headmaster. They wanted to expel her for inappropriate behavior on school grounds, but they had no evidence. So they just suspended her for two weeks, waiting for the whole thing to blow over."

"This is terrible. A person shouldn't be able to do this. What is she? A dictator?"

"I think she prefers queen," Angela responded with a sad smile. "Please don't cross her. You will be marked and no one will be able to talk to you anymore."

Bella rolled her eyes. "This is getting ridiculous!" She closed her eyes to think better. She didn't like Jessica at all, but did she really wanted to go against her? Jessica did have a strong hold on the students of Forks High, so annoying her might not do Bella any good. At least, what she wanted wasn't so bad. "Fine, Angela. If she comes to me for homework, I will comply. But that's it. I'm not spreading vicious rumors for her and I'm not telling her any gossip I hear." She actually didn't like sharing gossip, nor hearing it.

Angela fully smiled this time. "You'll see it's better this way." She finally relaxed on her chair. "So, any after-school plans? I heard Lauren is throwing a party tomorrow."

"Not invited," responded Bella with her mouth half-full as her appetite returned. "Besides, I have other stuff to do. Like getting a job today and seeing the school counselor tomorrow."

"What job?"

"Part-time. Selling stuff at Newton's, I think. I'm going for an interview."

"Oh, you have to be careful. Newton's is owned by Mike's parents if you don't already know."

"Who's that?"

"Pale blonde guy at Jess's table." Bella searched for him at the table. He was good looking, maybe a bit round faced. He was staying next to Jessica and he was engrossed in some conversation with her.

"Let me guess. Her boyfriend?" Bella asked.

"Not yet. But according to Jess, soon enough. So, try not to catch his eye or flirt with him. No amount of homework will get out of that."

"I doubt I'll catch his eye. And he seems into Jess a lot."

Angela looked at her as she was trying to assess her words before continuing. "Also, the same apply to the school counselor. Jess was totally into him last year, but of course nothing happened."

Bella huffed. "No dating, flirting or anything remotely related in this school. Got it!"

"Also, try not to be sarcastic around Jess. She doesn't like it. And she will tell you who you can date. She'll even give you pointers what's the best pick to improve your popularity."

Bella cradled her face in her palms. "It's like a never-ending list." Fortunately, the school bell rang ending her misery for now.

The rest of the school hours went quickly. She even made some chit-chat with her English class mates, so that was s a bit of improvement. Jessica hadn't bothered her yet, but she probably wanted her waiting and panicking. She won't give her that. But she was feeling a bit anxious right now, because she was standing in front of Newton's Olympic Outfitters and she was dreading the interview to come.

"No time like now," she mumbled to herself to instill a bit of confidence and she strode towards the entrance.

The store was pretty big, for a small-town store. There were even a few aisles and they mostly held camping and hiking equipment. Although Bella didn't enjoy any of that activities, she learnt a few things from Charlie. She was impressed by the range of hiking boots and one model even caught her eye. She saw a middle-aged women who she assumed was the store's owner, so she went to her.

"Hi. Are you Karen Newton?"

"Hello. Yes, dear. And might I assume you are Bella Swan?"

Bella blushed. "I guess my dad talked to you."

The women moved to another shelf and started arranging it. "Of course Charlie called me. He wanted to assure me that his daughter was of good character, meticulous and hard-working and we would be lucky to have you." Mrs. Newton turned to her and smiled. "I say you're lucky to have such good personal references."

She stammered a bit. "Yeah, well… You know my dad..."

"Do you have any experience, dear?"

Bella recomposed herself and adopted a more professional tone. "Yes, indeed. I worked in Phoenix at a bookstore. I actually have a recommendation from the manager"– she searched her bag and handed a piece of paper to Mrs. Newton –" and a lot of good reviews from customers." While Mrs Newton was reading the recommendation, she continued "I worked there 4 hours per day, about 3 days per week and one full day in the weekend. I was hoping that I could maintain the same schedule..."

The woman smiled. "I think we can accommodate that." She handed back her letter. "One very important question now."

Bella raised her eyebrows. What could possible be that important?

"When can you start, Bella?"

She let out a breath of relief. "Oh. On Monday."

"Excellent. Let me show you things around. Sometimes you'll work with my son, Mike, I think you know him from school, and he'll be able to help you with anything. But still, you should get the general gist."

An hour later, Bella emerged from the store with her head full of shelves locations, registry handling and lots of other administrative stuff. It didn't seem too hard, but she will have to get used to it. At least, the pay is good. While walking towards her car, a voice stopped her "So you are the new girl."

Bella turned slowly and saw the pale blonde guy, Jessica's soon-to-be boyfriend, smirking at her. She smiled politely.

"New at school and new at this job also." He came closer to her and watched her every move.

"And you must be Mike." She didn't like his expression at all.

The boy seemed pleased that she knew her name. "I saw you checking me out at a lunch. Jessica told me all about you. Well, all she could gather anyway. But maybe I'll get to know you even better."

Bella shifted on her feet and looked nervously at her clock. "Well, that's nice. I really have to go now though." And she started walking.

"I'll see you around, pretty girl," said Mike after her and with that, Bella Swan knew she was doomed.

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**A/N: I hope you liked these versions of Angela and Mike! They will appear in more chapters. Even though I updated 2 days in row, this will most likely be an exception. I will try to update as many times as possible, probably 2 times a week. I'll aim to keep my chapters short, close to 2000 words each. If you have any suggestions or critiques, I'll be happy to hear it in reviews or PMs. **


	3. Chapter 3

He was standing in his small, cramped office next to the only window which was slightly opened as he liked to keep it. Soon, the bell would ring and announce the end of a new school day, but his day wasn't over yet. Sighing, he went back to his neat desk and examined the file of Isabella Marie Swan, the newly transferred student. He tried to concentrate, fighting the onset of the migraine he was due to have because of the long, boring staff meeting he had to endure earlier that day.

His endeavor was soon disturbed by the unfortunately familiar thoughts of a certain student. _Hope Mr.C… happy to see me… won't believe… say… new girl._ Soon enough, he heard a knock and asked Jessica to come in. She was all smiling, rather too sweetly and he was sure she was up to no good. He found his job rather challenging in those moments.

"Hi, Mr. Cullen! I'm so happy to see you!" started Jessica, walking towards his desk and taking the seat in front of him.

"Miss Stanley, I don't think I was expecting you today, especially during classes. I assume–"

"Oh, I just got a pass from Mr. Varner. And you weren't expecting me. But I just wanted to talk to you about the new girl."

"Isabella Swan?"

"Yes, Bella. I know you have a meeting with her now and I just wanted to give you some scoop I gathered."

Mr. Cullen was watching Jessica closely. She looked expectantly at him, waiting for him to urge her on. He wasn't sure what was her endgame, but coming to him and relaying some sort of information meant she wanted to put the new student in a difficult position. _Come on, Mr. C. I know you want to hear it! No one can resist a little gossip._ Even her thoughts were loud enough now to hear the clearly.

"Carry on, Miss Stanley," he said leaning back in his chair.

"Please call me Jessica as I've asked you so many times." He almost puffed, like that was going to ever happen, but he manage to control himself just in time and maintain a serious look. Luckily, Jessica continued, "I tried to observe her these days, you know, watching her in classes and at lunch," –_ not only me, but also other people_– "and she's integrating well."

Mr. Cullen furrowed his brows. "Well, she's new and it's only been about a week. I don't think no one's expect–"

"I know. But she's a loner. She doesn't talk to people, she doesn't try to introduce herself."

He disliked when he was interrupted, especially by this girl, but he was intrigued by what she was going to say next. Still, he had to ask, "I take it she wasn't nice enough with you."

Jessica smiled, and responded "No, she was nice enough. I had to go to her first, but I'm sure we'll be friendly."_ Especially if she does what I say._ "But I'm worried for her. And that's why I came to you." She looked with big eyes at Mr. Cullen.

"Miss Stanley, I can say that I'm happy you're expressing such noble sentiments, especially after your past transgressions." She flinched slightly. "So, what exactly are your concerns?"

_You're gonna love this, Mr. C._ Jessica took a very affected look and tone. "I think she might be depressed."

A rather surprising development, but he wasn't sure how much truth lay behind this affirmation. "Oh, do you now? And this is comes only from your keen observation skills?"

She made a grimace upon hearing that. "I also talked to a girl from her former high school. It was difficult to track, but what's difficult to me?" she laughed. "She had very few friends there and she wasn't involved in any school activities. Her leaving was a bit of unexpected, but there are some rumors flying around."

He could feel that this was the part she was eager to get it, so he tried to cut her. "Miss Stanley, you of all people know what I believe about rumors and how much credit I give them."

She continued like she didn't hear him. "They say she was involved with a teacher there and that's why she left. And for every rumor, there is a grain of truth." _Let's see how you react to that._

He started massaging his temples again as his migraine was coming in force. Why did he had to choose this job? He thought he could guide students to great colleges and careers, but he didn't think he actually had to sort through such petty moments. He said to Jessica, "Let me get this straight. You think she's depressed because her boyfriend–"

"Teacher."

"– broke up with her and it was so unbearable she decided to move a thousand miles. And her depression makes her unsocial."

"Precisely. I know you would understand, Mr.C." He glared at her. "Oops, Mr. Cullen," she corrected herself with a hint of a smile._ I bet he'll have an interesting conversation now with that loser._

He kept staring at this unbelievable girl who could probably come with lies even bigger than this one, but he was distracted by a knock on the door and a sweet faint smile that made him thirsty. This was definitely a bad day.

Jessica got up from her chair and said "Oh, I think Miss Swan is here. Got to go!" _My work is done here._

He also got up and motioned her to the door. "Thank you for your concerns, Miss Stanley. I'll take them into consideration." The smell was growing stronger to his confusion. When the door opened, the sweet smell washed over him and he closed his fists strongly. It was the new girl's and it had an intensity he hadn't encountered before, so strong he had to stay still. Finally, he murmured a goodbye to Jessica and waited for Miss Swan to come in.

He took a good look at her and he noticed her alabaster skin, quite uncommon for humans. She was looking with one brow raised at him, waiting in the door frame. He said, "Come in, Miss Swan," and went to his desk to pick up her file and then remained close to the window, so the fresh breeze would come over him.

"I'm Edward Cullen, your school counselor."

Bella strode towards him, outstretching her hand for a shake, while saying "Bella Swan." He shook it anxiously, hoping she wouldn't remark on the iciness of his palm.

She furrowed her brows, but didn't comment upon it and she took the seat previously occupied by Jessica. He wasn't sure how he should start, so he started shuffling with her file.

Bored by waiting, Bella said, "If you're sick we can talk another time."

"Sick?"

"Yes. You are extremely cold and your face looks like you're sitting next to a pile of garbage," she responded without looking at him, but rather at her knees.

Perceptive, he thought. Staying close to the window made him feel more in control, but he wasn't sure he should push his luck by sitting down at the desk, so close to the girl. An accident would probably make his family uncomfortable. "I think I can manage to talk."

"Do you have liver problems?" she asked looking at him this time.

"Well, it's smelling rather too sweetly for me," he said with a shrug.

"Sorry. My shampoo probably..."

"Nothing to be sorry about. My problem, not yours." He continued to read her file. "I see you moved from Phoenix? Any particular reason?"

"I wanted to spend some time with my dad. My parents separated a long time ago."

"It says here. Other problems at your last school?"

He glanced over the file and saw her watching him attentively. Finally, she responded "No other problems." Her way of responding made him feel that there was something she kept hidden, but decided to continue.

"Is your schedule good? Do you need any changes?"

"Can I swap classes, so I don't have Jessica Stanley in any of them?"

He smiled, almost chuckling. Very few people would like to be Jessica's classmates. "I'm afraid it's too small of a school to arrange such changes."

She sighed. "At least, I tried."

"I see you got pretty good grades. You are even in AP Biology. Fancy to be a physician?" He was quite interested on the subjects she liked, as he enjoyed giving career path advice.

She grimaced. "I wish. Unfortunately, I faint whenever I see and smell blood. But biology is a fun as a subject."

"Too bad. I would have introduced you to my father who is a physician and would have loved to give you advice. Have you thought about college?"

"Not yet. I also enjoy literature, so maybe something related to that."

He put the file aside. "And how do you find Forks until now? Made any friends? Joined a club?"

She seemed slightly confused by the change of subject. "It's fine. I talked to some people."

He was rather puzzled by the girl in front of him. "I find it odd that you have moved so suddenly from Phoenix. It doesn't seem like a well-thought decision. Rather a spur of the moment one." Bella said nothing, so he continued. "I might be a bit concerned about your integration here."

"Why?"

He closed his eyes and took a big breath which proved to be a mistake as he also got a handful of Bella's smell. He felt the pain in his throat growing stronger. They were all alone, what would be the harm… But his rational side knew he must resist.

"Mr. Cullen? Are you feeling okay?" her voice was slightly panicked.

He opened his eyes and waved his hand is dismissal. But her eyes were wider now and he had no idea why.

She said in a slow tone, "I think you should go to your dad. Your eyes are darker now."

If he had any color to drain, that would probably be the moment it happened. He tried to recompose himself and he said confidently, "Oh, I think it's just the light." He turned slightly as to watch outside and continued, "About your other question, Bella, I think it's important that you socialize properly with your peers. You want to go to college, and this is an important aspect. You should find a club and join it. There are several options: varsity teams, a photography club, a debate club and a book club. The last will be ideal for you if you say you like literature." He felt slightly better and decided to face her. "And I think it will also be good for you to come here once a week and discuss your progress. Let's say, for about a month" He was sure that was necessary, but he really wanted to see her again and talk to her, maybe found out what happened in Phoenix.

She pouted a little, probably not wanting guidance sessions, but in the end she just said, "Fine, but I work 3 times a week, so this thing shouldn't overlap."

Feeling cheerful, Edward replied, "I'm sure we can work something out."

They sat in silence for a few moments and finally, Bella asked, "Is there anything else or may I go now?"

"You can go, Bella. See you next week."

He walked her towards the door as it was the polite thing to do. She stopped close to the door frame and turned to him, making Edward feeling intoxicated by her close smell, and said "It was nice meeting you, Mr. Cullen." And she left, before he even found time to respond.

While packing his things, Edward reflected on their conversation and finally, one thing struck him as very odd: not once did he pick a fragment of thought from her. It was a total silence, something he hadn't experienced before as he always managed to hear at least something. The conversation with his family tonight was bound to be very interesting.

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**A/N: I hope you found this chapter interesting. There will be more interactions between Bella and Edward, some outside school of course. I also tried to spell check more, as I've noticed some mistakes in the previous chapters (which I corrected). Enjoy!**


	4. Chapter 4

"Do we have to do this?"

Bella and Angela were standing in front of an entrance that belonged to a big house compared to Forks standards.

"Yes, Bella. You said you'd come. So let's get in," responded Angela while pressing the doorbell. Someone answered it, and they were in. Bella saw a lot of faces from school and she thought they were about 50 people. The living room was clearly a lot bigger than her own's and its predominant element was wood. It was a nice house as Lauren's parents seemed to have good taste. The surround system was playing some pop music, the kind one would expect Lauren to listen. Jessica and Lauren got up from the couch to greet the girls.

"Angela, you came!" Jessica sounded rather ecstatic. "And you brought Bella. How nice!"

"Jess, we're so happy to be here," Angela responded in a tone Bella thought slightly insincere. She didn't really know why she accepted to go. Maybe curiosity, maybe because her father heard about the party and encouraged her to go. But she knew upon seeing Jessica, that she would rather be at home reading. Angela interrupted her thoughts, "Right, Bella? We are so–"

"Yes. First party in Forks! Yay," but as she said it, she knew it probably sounded not so excited.

Jessica smiled sweetly at her and said, "I'm sure it can't compare with your parties in Phoenix, but we try." She left without waiting for an answer.

Bella wasn't sure of the answer she might have given. She might have said Jessica was mocking her, but that was before she heard about the "Queen" snooping around her life in Phoenix. Her friend, Roxie, called her earlier that evening to ask her who's the entitled bitch calling people and asking questions. Bella was slightly surprised, but in hindsight she should have expected it as Jessica wanted to know all about her. At least, Roxie had a good laugh about the situation and said she's there for her if she needs help. Roxie was probably the only one who partially understood why she left.

Angela tugged her to meet several other people and then went off to talk with some other girl. Bella retreated to get a better look at the room. She spotted Mike and some other jocks going outside through the sliding glass door to the backyard. Some people were at ease, dancing and talking, but others were kind of a nervous, glancing around.

"Trying to figure it all out?" a male voice said behind her. She turned slightly to get a better look at him. He was Asian, with dark hair and eyes, and he wore glasses.

"Maybe," Bella responded while watching him.

He held out his hand. "Ben Cheney. Angela might have mentioned me."

"Oh, yes, Spanish guy." Ben seemed confused by that description, so Bella continued, "You do the Spanish homework."

He seemed slightly embarrassed, but he confirmed. They sat in silence, both watching the crowd. Eventually, he spoke again. "That's Andy–", and he pointed to a red-headed guy, "– the guy who does the Chemistry homework. Helen–", a shy petite girl in the corner, "– does Government essays." He continued pointing to other people doing homework, but Bella was interested in something else.

"How does all this work?"

Ben frowned. "The homework part?"

She nodded. "Doesn't she ever get caught? Or ask a question in class and fail to respond to it?"

"I've never thought about it." He stared into the distance, his eyes unfocused. "She just goes to people and ask to do her homework, or else something unpleasant might happen. She doesn't always choose people from her class, but she knows the teachers are always the same, so the homework is the same. She knows to answer questions, so I believe she must read the homework before handing it in. And she varies the people who do a particular homework."

"What do you mean?" asked Bella.

"Well, for example, I started by doing English. Then, after 2 months, she gave me Government. Some time passed, and I got stuck with Spanish. And I'm due for another change now."

Bella contemplated for a few minutes. "Weird. It's like a sort of game for her. And why do you do her homework?"

His cheeks reddened and he averted his eyes. "I don't want to say." What could possibly be so embarrassing Bella didn't know and she decided not to push. Maybe Angela knew more and was willing to share.

"Maybe there's someone who knows why is she doing this," Bella said.

"Nope, no one. Her innermost clique is oblivious. Angela tried to find out more a few weeks ago."

"Her innermost clique?"

"Yes. Lauren, Mike, Tyler. Then comes the rest. Friends of Mike's and Tyler's from the team. A few girls that worship Jessica and Lauren. Some people that are mainly used for sharing gossip. Then there's us, the homework providers. And you see some aspirers here too."

"Who are those? People who want to be like them?"

"Essentially, yes."

"You are very well informed," said Bella with a hint of admiration in her voice.

Ben shrugged. "These parties are so boring, I need an occupation. I think this one is actually for you." Bella raised her brows, so he continued. "You know, to see how things work around here."

"Lucky me, having a party," she said. "I think I'm gonna go outside and get some air."

Bella went to the backyard and she was intrigued to see that the yard opened into some sort of forest. Maybe Lauren's parent enjoyed nature, although her daughter didn't seem the type. There was a garden table with chair and she decided to seat on one of the chairs. It was dark, a lone wolf was howling far, far away, and yet she felt more safely there than inside. Jessica was a problem, but she wasn't sure how to deal with it. Suddenly, she was startled by some noises, but she recovered quickly when she saw the jocks coming from the forest and heading back inside. Unfortunately, she caught the attention of a certain someone who came to sit in the chair closest to her.

"Hello, Bella," he said dragging the first word longer.

She tried to look cool. "Hi, Mike. How's it going?"

"Better and better," he responded with a wink Bella found repulsive. Mike's type was definitely not her type. He produced a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and lighten one up, not before offering Bella one's as well, which she politely refused.

"I thought jocks shouldn't smoke," she said coolly.

"No harm in having fun from time to time. Wouldn't you like to have some fun, Bella?"

"I'm having plenty, thank you."

"Then, why are you outside?" he asked with a smirk. But he didn't let Bella talk. "I think I know why." He paused to huff some smoke circles. From his previous relaxed posture, he leaned closer to Bella chair. "You saw me going outside, so you decided to come after me."

Bella was positively flabbergasted. How can they be so egocentric was beyond her imagination. "Actually, I came for the view," she responded and tried finding a position leaning away from him.

He smirked, but he continued undisturbed. "So, when do you want to go out?"

Fortunately, someone came outside from the house, interrupting the conversation. Unluckily for Bella, it was Jessica, who strolled towards them, fake smile plastered all over her face.

"Here you are, Mike! I was beginning to think the guys forgot you in the forest."

He laughed loudly. "Neah, just chatting with Bella here."

"How thoughtful of you. But you should go back inside, Tyler's asking for you."

He quickly finished his cigarette and got up. "See you later, Bella. Jessica," and he bowed to her.

Jessica waited for him to go inside the house. Her expression changed to a harsher one and she took the seat in front of Bella who felt even more uncomfortable.

"Enjoying the party?" Jessica asked.

"Great. Illuminating I would say." Bella watched her as she checked her perfectly made mint green nails. She was probably enjoying this and thought she had Bella in her pocket.

"So, do you know what I want from you?"

Bella sighed. "Trig homework."

Jessica glanced at her. "You learn quickly. One more thing though."

"What?" Bella asked confused.

"Stay away from Mike." And with that said, she left.

Bella was feeling drained, so she decided to leave the party. She should have taken Angela home as they both came in Bella's truck, but she managed to arrange for Ben to take her. The drive home was quiet enough, but she found Charlie waiting for her.

"You're home early," Charlie said. "You had at least one more hour left."

Charlie wanted nothing more than for her to like Forks and she knew it. "It was a bit boring, Dad. I still have to get to know people. And I'm tired."

Bella hesitated going upstairs, but decided to ask her dad, "What do you think of Jessica Stanley?"

Her father seemed surprised about the question. "Jessica? She's a nice girl. A bit intense though. Why are you asking?"

Bella was not sure what to tell him next: that Jessica is a horrible person who make people do stuff they don't want, that she spreads gossip and make people suffer? So, she settled for something else. "I don't think she likes me so much. I get this negative vibe from her."

But Charlie was already paying less attention, "I'm sure she'll like you, once she knows you better." He started flipping through the channels, so Bella wished him good night and went to her room.

She was glad that she survived her first week of school and even got a job. She was a bit troubled about Jessica, and she had to find out more about her controlling ways. She wasn't pleased with the idea of doing her Trig homework, but if that's the price she had to pay to find out more, she'd do it. And there was another thing on her mind. Edward Cullen, the school counselor, who seemed really strange. She wondered if he was ill as he was standing as far away from her as possible during their talk and looked too pale for a living person. But what she found the oddest were his green eyes, darkening to a shade so close to black. It was unnatural. She must learn more about this man as she knew nothing of him, but now it was time for sleep.

* * *

**A/N: One thing to clarify: in this AU, vampires maintain their eye color after transformation. The shade just darkens or lightens depending on thirst. I really wanted to include Ben as he doesn't appear much in the series. Mike might seem a little OOC, but I think he was portrayed as such a creep in "Midnight Sun", I just added some boldness to his character. Next chapter will be interesting as it will introduce a new story line. **


	5. Chapter 5

Edward had only two hours of rest that night, although rest in his case just meant floating in a state between awakeness and dreaming. Most vampires need only a couple of hours of sleep every week and they can go on without sleeping even for a month or two. But special powers like his were draining, and skipping rest only meant stronger migraines and a smaller range.

His previous migraine subsided, but he thought with dread of the 13 hours of drive that lay in front of him. They really need to restock their juices supply as a Speed Enhancer would have saved him a lot of time. But Alice summoned him urgently, said she needed his help meeting someone. He was curious about what she would think of Bella and her uncanny ability to elude his thoughts.

Midway to his destination, Edward's phone rang.

"Hi, Edward!" he heard Alice's chirping voice. "How long 'till you get here?"

"About 6 hours. I hope it's worth it."

"It will be. I'll share the exact location when you're closer. Oh, and there's been a change of plans. We're flying back home."

Edward was surprised by this development. "What about my car?"

"Jasper will take it back home after he's finished in Santa Fe. Where did you think of leaving it?"

"Granby," he responded automatically.

"Can you try Aspen?"

Edward shifted in his seat. "Alice, you know I don't like it when one of you drives my car. Can't you fly with Jasper?"

There a slight pause at the end. "I think both of us will have to be home quickly after this meeting." There was a grave undertone to her words. "I feel that bad things will happen."

He huffed. "Not again. Fine, I'll leave the car in Aspen. See you later."

He didn't like the bad things part at all as it probably meant trouble for all of them. Alice started getting a weird vision about a month ago, but they haven't figured out what it meant. A girl screaming, but her face isn't visible enough, darkness and fire surrounding her. Initially the vision wasn't strong enough and kind of blurry, but now it was become sharper which only meant the future was crystallizing. Last time she talked to Alice about it, there was a new element. A red car. So, maybe it was related to a future accident. And then, came a newer vision. Someone laughing over a dead body, people with masks dancing around, a lone wolf howling, accompanied by a sense of despair.

His head was spinning just by thinking about all these. He wasn't sure how Alice could live with all these things popping in her head. Yes, her ability was exceptional on short periods of time. She could predict what someone will do in the next few moments with an uttermost precision. But the long future visions were usually garbage that only made sense after they happened. She had a lot of practice to get to the point where she is now and maybe her vision will become better eventually.

A few hours later, he reached Aspen and left his car. Jasper probably had a copy of his keys already as he liked to be prepared for anything. Alice shared him a location in the forest and he would get there in an hour. The area was rather nice and it could serve as a future home for them. Deep into the forest, he started to sense Alice's thoughts which provided a useful guide. He was well accustomed to them, as he spent a lot of time training with her.

Soon enough, he heard her, "_Good, you're close". _And he was indeed as he reached her in about 5 minutes. She was standing still in a small clearing, quite bright for the gloomy weather. He figured they were meeting one of the hunters as they were close to their cell in Denver.

"_Looking good, Alice. Haven't seen you in a month." _He thoroughly enjoyed their soundless way of communication.

"_Someone has to visit our family friends. Besides, I got the chance to shop a lot. I bought you new preppy outfits. I sent some packages, but I guess you didn't open them yet"_ she thought smiling at him.

Edward rolled his eyes and started pacing around. He needed more details. _"So, who are we seeing today? I don't really get why you called me here."_

Alice shifted uncomfortably. _"I should have met with Tim. But he's sending Noah instead."_

"_I don't remember which one is Noah."_

"_The immune shapeshifter. Panther guy," _she thought staring at him.

Edward shrugged, _"Not the nicest one, I guess."_

"_He should arrive in half an hour," _she added, but Edward was looking already disinterested. He wasn't sure how bad that guy was, but if Alice wanted him here, he had no choice. His mind drifted to the new brown-haired girl at school. Why couldn't he hear her thoughts or anything at all? He felt blindsided and he hated not having enough control.

He saw Alice looking at him as trying to guess what he was thinking. _"What, Alice?"_

"_What are you so preoccupied about? Trouble at school?" _She chuckled lightly.

"_Not exactly." _He was unsure how to start this conversation, so he asked her_ "Have you met someone for whom you can't predict his actions?"_

She took a moment to think. _"Shapeshifters were blank initially. I had to spend a lot of time close to them before I started seeing them. And still, sometimes everything goes black. Like a severed connection. It's frustrating."_

He stared at the woods in front of him.. _"And besides shapeshifters?"_

She furrowed her brows. _"You mean normal humans? I haven't met an unpredictable one. Why are you asking?"_

"_I met someone and I can hear anything from her."_

Alice came closer to him. _"You can't hear any complete thoughts or you just hear musings–"_

"_No. There is nothing from her."_

She looked troubled and started pacing around, going through some lists in her head. Finally, she directed some thoughts at Edward, _"Have you seen her one time only or..."_

"_First time it happened in school, I had a meeting with her. Second time... Well, I spied on her before leaving. She was at her house talking with her dad. There were some thoughts from him, not very clear, but again nothing from her."_

Before Alice could respond him, they heard someone approaching. _"Noah is here. 10 minutes earlier."_

"Lookee, lookee, 2 Cullens on the loose," a tall, athletic, young man said while approaching them. He moved with grace as if he was in his own element. He had blond ash hair and a huge grin plastered on his face.

Edward grimaced as Alice took on greeting the man. "Hi, Noah. Long time, no see." She thought "_I would have prefered that way._"

Noah was looking at Edward, and the vampire only caught some glimpses of his voice. _Wonder… one… he is… mind. _The hunters apparently knew too much about their family.

Alice coughed to get the man's attention. "So, do you have information for us?"

The guy grinned at her. "Maybe." There was something Edward didn't like about him. He got the feeling that his inner voice was a bit too jubilant. "The boss is moving west. Don't know where, don't know when, but it will happen soon." _Old… too paranoid… wish..._

"Why?" asked Edward.

Noah huffed. "Do you even have to ask that? With all the disappearances in Port Angeles, Seattle, Portland and in the whole fucking area?"

"It's not us."

"Might as well be. Boss wants to solve this. And see the new shapeshifters for himself. Maybe recruit someone. You don't want to be there when we come." _Though… fun… us. _Edward was glaring at this guy.

Alice intervened, producing a thick yellow envelope, "Thank you, Noah. It's the usual amount."

But Noah grinned, "Not good enough."

She stared open-mouthed at him. "What do you mean?"

Noah shifted his position and stared at the two vampires. "Boss saw me before heading out here. So, I told him I'm getting something important." _Info… vampire heads._

"You want us to give you information or else…?" Edward asked shocked.

"Oh, so you are the mind reader indeed," Noah chuckled. His thoughts were getting too excited. "But Boss already know that and how you look."

Alice tried to pacify him. "I can give you more money if that's what–"

"No." All amusement left his face. "I can't go back without something to tell and a shit load of money. You know what he does to traitors."

Edward tried a different tactic. "We can tell you about the shapeshifters in Forks."

"Already know about them. Five and they transform into ancient wolves."

Edward and Alice exchanged nervous glances between them. _"I'm sorry, Edward," _she thought and turned more towards Noah. "There's a Blocker in our area."

Edward blinked rapidly. A Blocker? She couldn't possibly be referring to the girl. Or was she? He observed a glint of excitement showing in Noah's eyes and the smile returning.. 'A Blocker? How odd." _So rare. _

"I guess we should go now. We have our info, you have yours," Alice said while preparing to leave.

"Do you have a name for this Blocker?"

"Do you know when are coming into our area?" Alice retorted with a sour face, motioning Edward to join her and get going.

Noah chuckled. "No. Until next time then," and he took off into the forest, while the 2 vampires proceeded running to Denver.

Edward was terrible irritated as this meeting wasn't at all what he expected. _"Do you realize what you have done, Alice?"_

Her face was terrible sad. _"I had to. Otherwise we would be dead."_

"_They'll come and try to find her." _

"_They would have come anyway and figured she's a Blocker."_

"_They'll try to recruit them whether she wants it or not. If she's indeed a Blocker. You just suspect it."_

"_We'll check and we'll protect her. They are just hunters after all. We can deal with them"_

"_I doubt it will be that simple." _He sighed. Even though he had just met this girl, it wasn't fair to let her at the hunters' mercy. He had to protect her.

She tried to sound positive in her thoughts, _"It will be. Now, let's get home and find you some better outfits to wear." _But concern was written all over her face.

* * *

**A/N: Happy Halloween! I hope you found this story line interesting. If you like my story, please leave a review! Thanks!**


	6. Chapter 6

The good thing about working at Newton's was that the shore wasn't frequented. Town people came whenever they needed to replace something or to buy new boots, and tourists were more of a weekend occurrence. Therefore the shore was mostly empty in the afternoons Bella worked there, and she could easily sneak in some reading.

The bad part about it was Mike's suffocating attention. Four days have passed since the party, but he was still relentless. Bella believed the guy had some loose screws in his head who prevented him to understand the "leave-me-alone" hints she was leaving. She was stocking some shelves, in a more hidden part of the store, when her heart jumped off her chest. The guy embraced her from behind and his hands were laying atop her belly and moving slowly.

"Mike!" she screeched while battling free from his arms.

"What, baby?" The idiot was grinning, but he released her.

She felt her face heating. "What? We're not boyfriend and girlfriend in case you forgot, so this is… Unacceptable."

He cocked his head. "Well, we could be. I don't understand why wouldn't you want that. Every girl in school wants it."

She stormed off, to the counter area. "Fuck off, Mike."

He laughed. "Love to rile you up, baby."

This situation was really uncomfortable for Bella. Mrs Newton mentioned that Mike would be sometimes there and she just wondered when he wouldn't be in the shore. He was now strolling through the aisles, very cockly, winking at her from time to time. It was a disgusting sight by her standards, so she tried to ignore him by continuing with the Trig homework. Jessica, not hers. At least, Jessica was leaving her alone for the time being.

She was immersed in a difficult problem, when she heard someone coughing in front of the counter. "Doing homework while working, Bella?" said a crystalline voice, almost startling her.

Looking up, she saw Edward Cullen, smiling at her. His clothes were more laid back than usual, not that she was noticing him and his outfits at school. Or maybe just a little bit.

"Hello, ," she said with a small voice before recomposing herself. "Yes, a bit of homework." She observed a bulky guy talking with Mike somewhere in the back. "What brings you here?"

"You can call me Edward. At least, outside school." He leaned on the counter. "I'm here with my brother, Emmett. He's looking for some supplies."

She watched Emmett, looking for the resemblances between the two brothers. They were of different build, different height, Emmett had short black hair. The only thing they had in common was their pale skin.

"Are you feeling better?" she blurted out, turning her gaze towards him. He still seemed a bit off, almost like he was holding his breath.

"Yes, better. Thank you for asking," he trailed, seeming a bit confused.

"Maybe we should see if we could help them." She wanted to see Emmett up close.

Mike was relieved when she came closer. "Bella! I think it's best you help Mr. Cullen here. I think I heard my phone ringing in the back anyway. I'll be right back." And he left, tripping by some shelves. She found it odd, almost like he was afraid by the two brothers. She imagined he'll be in the back until they left. And it was up to her to keep them in the shore as long as she could.

She offered Emmett her hand, while saying "Hi. I'm Bella!" His eyes were brown and she saw them darken slightly, just like Edward's eyes. She frowned while feeling his cold hand.

"Well, well, well. Bella Swan. As I live and breathe." He chuckled while Edward was scowling at him. "Eddie here mentioned you. A new student. Quite the town event."

"I guess," Bella responded, watching the interaction between the two of them. "So, what do you need?"

"Some hiking boots, a tent, some batteries. Not much. Oh, and a backpack."

Bella was a bit disappointed by the small list. "Ok. Let's start with the hiking boots." She leaves them for a while, to grab exactly 10 models of boots, his size. "I brought you a selection of our best boots. I would advise you to try each and every one, to see which fits you best."

Emmett was grinning, amused, but he complied and started trying out pairs. She figured if she shows them more stuff, they will stay more there and keep Mike at bay.

"Do you want to try some too, Edward?" she asked.

"Um, sure," he responded taken aback.

After they almost tried all the pairs, Bella had a new idea. She smiled towards them. "I know something else you might need for a camping trip." Emmett raised his brow. "Clothes. I mean, thermals. Something to keep you warm." With their bad circulation, they sure seemed to need that.

Before any of them could answer her, she was already bringing a few items. "You should also try them to see if they fit."

Edward started, "I'm not sure–"

"We'll do," Emmett responded. "Come on, Eddie. You don't want to upset the girl." She smiled at him. Edward groaned, but took his pile and headed for the cabins. Emmett followed, but not before winking at Bella. She was wondering what he thought of her behavior and maybe his response was a bit odd, but she was glad that they were staying longer.

She paced around the aisles, waiting for them to finish. Maybe she should have brought clothes only to Emmett, so she could talk with Edward, but that would have been weird. Mike reemerged from the back of the store.

"Are they gone?" He looked troubled.

"No. They are trying clothes."

"Oh, ok. Well, I have to go. Bye." And he left without looking back at her. Not one stupid remark. Maybe she should hire Emmett as a personal bodyguard. She turned and saw him, standing a few feet behind.

He smiled. "Those are good," he said handing her a few thermals. "I think I left a good shirt in the cabin. The one on the left. Could you go check, please?"

"Sure." She was thinking that maybe there was some history between Mike and Emmett. Mike was acting really strange, losing all his gut and bolting out. She wondered why, but she probably wouldn't find out just by asking. When she pulled the curtain, she heard someone hissing. Edward Cullen, shirtless, was in front of her. She was mortified and she couldn't believe that she went to the wrong cabin.

"Bella! What are you doing?" Edward asked, his eyes wide open.

"S-sorry," she stammered, fumbling backwards and tripping over a box, landing on her ass. "Shit!" Someone was booming with laughter in the shop. And she realized she didn't went to the wrong cabin.

Edward came to her and helped her up. She was getting used to his cold hands. And the sight in front of her wasn't bad at all. "Sorry I startled you."

She averted her eyes. "Yeah, that's fine. I'm clumsy. I should go, see if Emmett…" and she went back to the counter, taking deep breaths. She throw a death glare towards Emmett, and he grinned.

"I like to joke, sue me," he said with a shrug. He came closer to Bella. "So, did you see him in his un–"

"Emmett!" came from the cabins.

Emmett was confused, but regained his focus. "Guess he needs my help." But Bella was not convinced. It was almost like Edward knew what Emmett was going to say, so he stopped him. But it was impossible, there was no way he could hear Emmett from where he was.

They came a few minutes later, and she helped them with the rest of their list, avoiding looking at Edward. When she finished packing all the stuff, it was closing time, so Mrs Newton, who arrived in meantime, relieved her. Bella left with the two of them to the parking lot, where she saw a huge jeep which was probably their ride.

"Thanks a lot, Bella. You were very helpful," Emmett told her, walking to the jeep.

She glanced at Edward who stayed had a very faint smile on his face. "Look, Bella. It was just an accident. Emmett likes to do stuff like this to people. Are we good?"

She nodded, feeling a bit like an idiot for the way she acted. It's not like she saw him naked. "See you at school, Edward," she said and waved a quick goodbye to Emmett before entering her car. Paranoid or not, she could swore she heard laughter while she was driving away from the store.

Bella was at the lunch table with Angela, which took the habit of sitting with her, and sometimes bringing Ben. They weren't talkers and silence didn't bother them, but today Bella had something on her mind.

"Angela? What do you know about Ed– Mr. Cullen's family?"

Angela glanced up from the book she was reading. "The school counselor?"

"Yes." Bella saw a puzzled look on her face. "I just want to know. He was at the store yesterday. With Emmett."

"Was Emmett's cranky girlfriend there? Rosalie?" Angela asked, grimacing at the name.. "Rosalie owns the major repair shop in Forks. Good service, but she's insufferable. It's like everyone is beneath her."

"They don't look very similar. Edward and Emmett," Bella prodded.

"They aren't related. Dr. Cullen and his wife adopted them. Everybody in town says Esme Cullen can't have kids, and that's why she adopted the two of them. Of course, being from a rich family, she managed to adopt them when she was very young."

"How young?"

Angela huffed. "Nobody knows. The Cullens are private. They have like this huge house in the woods, no neighbours for several miles. I think that they just moved here three years ago."

"And what does Emmett do?"

Angela closed her eyes, trying to think. "I don't know. He spends a lot of time with Jasper, who is like his uncle, because he's married to Alice, Mrs Cullen's sister. Some people say that they are involved in some shady stuff in Seattle." She lowered her voice. "You know, mob stuff." She continued on a normal voice, "Why are you so curious, Bella?"

She tried to act casual, dismissing her question with a wave. "You know me, I like to know stuff. That's quite a large family. I wonder how come they are so private."

Angela shrugged, and she started reading again.

The Cullens weren't Bella concern for now as she had a more pressing issue. So she leaned closer to Angela. "Hey." She glanced up to look at her, a questioning look on her face. "You say Andy lives right next door to Jessica. Let's go at him and study today."

Angela looked surprised, and slightly frightened by the idea. "But– "

"No buts. I want to see what she does after school. And you're coming along."


	7. Chapter 7

"You want to study? At my p-place? You, Angela and B-Bella?" Andy asked, his eyes throwing glances towards the girls and back to Ben.

"Sure, dude. It's not like we never studied together before, right?" Ben responded shrugging slightly.

"Right, right," he answered looking down. His pimples were almost shaking too and Bella felt kind of sorry for him. Maybe that wasn't the best idea she had as it was more of a spur of the moment decision.

"Good. You, Angela and I will go in my car, and Bella will join us later. She said she'll walk to your house after leaving her truck at home."

Bella nodded, bid them a quick goodbye and got in her truck. She thought it would be suspicious if her truck was in front of Andy's house, so it was better if she left it home. Angela convinced her to let Ben tag along, as he and Andy were friends, kind of, and she had to agree that it was a marvelous idea. Even though she was keen on finiding what Jessica was up to, she probably wouldn't had the guts to go to Andy and ask him to study with the two of them. And Ben seemed thrilled of the prospect of spying on Jessica, even though Angela kept repeating that this was a bad idea and it wouldn't end good for all of them. Bella wondered why she seemed so conflicted.

Arriving home, she left most of her books, and wrote a note to Charlie saying she'd be late as she was studying with friends. He wouldn't be very worried probably, but rather pleased that she's making friends. On the way to Andy's, Bella decided to call Roxie.

"Hey, Rox! Guess what I'm doing today!" Bella's voice was excited. She really missed her friend.

"Dating a guy?" an amused voice asked.

"No. I'm actually going to spy on Jessica today. There's a guy in school who is her neighbour, so I'm heading there."

"Oh, I see. I guess you took my advice. What happened to 'I would never, never do that' ?" Roxie asked.

Bella shrugged. "Well, I got annoyed today. I handed her the Trig homework and she was so indifferent, she didn't even thanked me."

Roxie laughed loudly causing Bella to jump slightly. "Come on, Bells. The girl's clearly nuts. And you expect her to be polite?"

"She should be. Doing two sets of homework takes time, " said Bella with a tart tone.

"Well, just be careful. You don't want the socio figuring out what you're doing, okay?"

"I will be. Don't worry, Rox," she uttered.

There was a pause at the other end like the girl wanted to say something more. Finally, she continued, "Mr. Anderson talked about you in class today."

Bella tensed upon hearing the name and stopped walking on the pavement. "I don't want to hear about it."

"Oh, come on, Bells," Roxie pleaded with her. "Maybe leaving wasn't the best thing you did… Maybe if you talk, you could come back–"

Bella's spoke hurried, her tone raised slightly, "I don't want to talk. Everyone says he's a great teacher, so it wouldn't matter. I'm in Forks now, end of story."

She could hear Roxie's long breaths. "I miss you, Bells. I just wish you were here."

Bella knew Rox was probably tear-eyed, so she whispered, "I miss you, too. We'll see each other. Soon. Gotta go now." And she ended the conversation. She wasn't sure when they were going to meet again and she decided not to dwell on it for now.

She was now on the right street. Most of the houses had one story and resembled each other. The house where Jessica lived was slightly larger than the rest. It was a gray-bricked house with white enframents for the front door and windows. Jessica might be home, so Bella pulled the hoodie over her head. The less that girl could see, the better. In short time, she was inside Andy's room.

Angela was on the floor, writing on a notebook, actually studying. Ben was standing close to the window throwing glances outside. And poor Andy was pacing nervously with a book.

"What do we do now?" Ben asked Bella.

"Let me think." And she started scrutinizing the room for anything useful. She noticed a telescope under Andy's desked, went to pick it up and set it close to the window. "Do we have a clear view to Angela's room from here?" she inquired no one in particular.

"N-no. I don't use that to spy on Angela," Andy said shaking his head vigoruously.

Bella cocked her head and stared at Andy. The boy was fidgeting with his hands, rubbing his neck from time to time. "I think we might see her from my parent's bedroom," he added finally. "Not that I'm sure. I just use the telescope to star gaze. Nothing else. I swear!" His tone was close to hysterics now and he dropped the book he was holding.

"Okay," said Bella, deciding to ignore his unusual outburst. "I'll go and check with Ben."

Ben led the way to the parents' bedroom and Bella followed him, carrying the telescope. She heard Ben saying, "He's just nervous. He gets like this when there are a lot of people surrounding him."

Bella put the telescope down. "He's not going to rat us out, is he?" she asked with a hint of distress in her voice.

"No, no," Ben assured her. "He's a good guy." Bella hoped so, otherwise the odds were not looking good for her.

"Which one of the windows?" asked Bella. There were two windows in the bedroom, on the adjoining walls opposite to the door. Ben took a look outside one of the windows.

"This one faces the front yard. The other one," he responded. Bella positioned the telescope towards the windows on the house in front of them. They could see part of a very girly room where shades of pink were predominant. There was no one inside.

"Are you sure she's home?" Bella asked in a frustrated tone.

"I heard her car while we were waiting for you. She's home," Ben answered.

They took turns, watching the room, expecting to see Jessica. When Bella was just about to call the whole thing off, Ben announced delighted, "She's here!"

Bella got up from the small sofa chair, close to the bed and hurried to see what Ben was seeing. Jessica was sited at a small desk, writing something. "I can't figure out what she's doing," said Bella squinting her eyes to see better.

Ben shrugged. "She's writing something."

"I can see _that_. But what is she writing?" Bella noticed that Jessica also had some books opened on the desk, which further puzzled her. Bella scratched her forehead as something didn't quite add up here.

Angela came into the room. "Anything?" she asked.

Bella responded. "Yes. Jessica is in her room. Writing." Angela furrowed her brows and took a look.

She eventually said, "That's strange. It almost look like she's doing– "

"Homework?" Bella offered.

Angela's gaze stopped on Bella and nodded. She was biting her lip.

Bella sighed. "How can we be sure? And if she does her own homework, why does she ask us to do it also?"

"Validation, maybe?" Ben suggested. "She wants to see if she did it right."

Bella raised her brow. "I think there are better ways to do that than to bully people. We have to be sure that what she's writing is homework."

They sat in silence, watching Jessica's every move, trying to see her writing with unfruitful results. About half an hour later, Jessica got up from the desk, leaving alone all the books and papers.

"What is she doing now?" Bella asked, tapping her foot. She started pacing around the room, pursing her lips when she heard the sound of a car starting.

"She's leaving," said Ben watching the front yard from the other window. "She's out of here."

Bella's breathing started growing heavier as she thought about what she was going to suggest next. She started toying with the telescope which was practically useless in that moment. "I have to go in."

Angela's mouth fell open and her voice was disbelieving. "You want to go in?"

"I have to see that paper. I just have to get to the bottom of this," Bella said in a sharp tone. She then continued, her chin down, almost muttering to herself, "Maybe their back door is unlocked. I could go in, find her room and take a quick glance–"

"You're not doing this, Bella," Angela said in a confident voice. "You don't know her house." She paused and took a very deep breath. "I will go. There is a spare key under the mat. I know where her bedroom is and I can get out quickly." She stared Bella in the eyes, her posture now strong, and Bella felt awed.

"Ok, you're going in then. But take your phone and headset, so we could stay in touch." Being in contact permanently while Angela was inside was for the best, Bella thought. What if Jessica suddenly returned? They needed a way to alert her.

After a couple of minutes, Angela was set to go. Andy tried convincing the other three not to do this, but he was unsuccessful. Still he did join Bella and Ben in the bedroom to see how everything's going.

"I got in," Angela's voice resounded from Bella's phone speakers. "Now I just have to go upstairs and to the left." They could hear her footsteps and Bella guessed that all of them were probably praying for Jessica not to come back. Ben was biting his lips, watching Jessica's room and waiting to see Angela. She appeared moments later and waved in their direction.

She headed to the desk and said, "We were right. It's her English homework." She shuffled through the papers, and stated, "It's actually pretty good." Angela took a few snapshots of the homework on her phone.

Bella moved closer to her phone. "Can you see other assignments? Maybe some made by other students?"

"Uh, let me check," said Angela, starting to seek other pieces of homework.

"Bella, she has to get out," Ben said, his voice high pitched.

"She will. In a minute," Bella responded, concentrating on Angela and her search.

"You don't know if she has a minute," he said, narrowing his eyes. Bella just ignored him.

"I think I found something." They heard some rustling from the other end as Angela was no longer in their sight. "English homeworks. All in Jessica's handwriting. And they are different from what I did for her." Bella heard her confusion and she couldn't not share it. "No homework made by the others."

Bella sighed. "Ok, Ange. Get out now. You've already been there long enough." Angela managed to get back without any incident, Ben hugging her.

Bella was certain now that Jessica Stanley did the assignments on her own. What she didn't understand was why she was asking people to do them. She didn't want people to know she was smart or what? One thing was for sure: spying Jessica just sprouted more questions than answers.


	8. Chapter 8

Edward was trying really hard to concentrate on the book in front of him, but he found himself either glancing at the front door or trying to hear any unusual sound. He was seated on the sofa, in the living room, opposite to Emmett who was flipping through TV channels, occasionally writing on his tablet.

After he and Alice came back last weekend, they talked to their family, sharing the danger they were probably in. Rosalie had the worst reaction as she didn't want to move yet again. She was hoping they would stay here for about 10 years, pretending to have a normal life. So, naturally she stormed out, left her phone and didn't come back for two days. When she was back, Rosalie said that one of the solutions was to leave again, but they shouldn't give up so easily. Edward sighed as he started pacing the room. Life was so complicated.

"He'll be here soon, Edward," he heard Emmett say. Emmett tried reaching out to his underground connections to find out more about the hunters. It wasn't good news as Jeremiah's team was the best in their organization. The worse thing was not knowing enough and they were in this situation. How can you prepare for the unknown?

His thought were interrupted by Alice who came dancing rapidly downstairs and screaming, "He's here!"

Two seconds later, the front door opened and she launched herself in Jasper's arms. He caught her and kept her close to himself as he nuzzled her neck whispering loving thoughts. They haven't seen each other for two months now as he travelled across the country, gathering intel. She had hoped they would cross paths while she was visiting other vampire friends, but they didn't.

Edward's eyes darted around the room and saw it wasn't just him and Emmett now, but also Carlisle and Esme joined them. Rosalie was also making her way downstairs and she coughed, trying to get Jasper's attention. After Alice let him go, he started making the rounds, greeting and hugging everyone.

"Good to see, Edward," he said when he got to Edward and hugged him tightly. "Don't be anxious. Your car is still in one piece." Such a feeble attempt of joking. His smile wasn't reaching his eyes, there were deep black circles under his eyes and his clothes were rumpled. Edward wondered when was the last time he got some rest or some food. As an ex-military, Jasper was probably used to any sort of deprivation, but Edward still felt bad for him.

Jasper sensed his worry and he thought, _"Don't. I'm fine."_ He sat down on the couch, motioning the others to come round the high-tech coffee table. "We need to talk." He put his smartphone down the table, and the huge surface came alive, showing pictures of swirling galaxies in the background, a cloud of apps in the front and a progress bar which indicated data downloading from the phone. Jasper started opening various applications, the most predominant being a map.

"The guy you met"– he looked at me and Alice –"wasn't lying. Jeremiah's moving camp indeed. What he didn't tell you is that they were already moving when he talked to you."

"What?" Edward asked. "But he seemed truthful… I didn't hear anything in his thoughts, how–"

Jasper shrugged. "He's trained. Jeremiah isn't stupid and I bet he gathered what he could about us." He pinpointed Denver on the map and then a new location, Grand Junction. "They are here now. But I'm not sure for how long."

Carlisle took Esme's hand and hold it tightly. He stared at Jasper, his face emotionless and asked, "How long until they get here, son?"

Everyone was watching Jasper, dreading the words that he would say. He sighed loudly, and leaned closer to the table, drawing a few routes. "There's no way to predict it. It's very dependent on their route; if they come through Seattle or Portland. Worst case scenario: they'll be here in four months."

They stood motionless on the sofa. Four months was barely enough time to settle somewhere else. The paperwork would take at least two months and it wouldn't be easy to find a new place as all the other ones they had were out of the questions. They could maybe go to some friends until everything was sorted out.

"Best case scenario?" Carlisle asked.

"Six or seven months. But I wouldn't bet on it. Not with a Blocker in town," said Jasper in a miserable tone.

"Why would they be interested in a Blocker anyway?" asked Alice, her eyebrows furrowing. "I know they are rare in our kind, but a Blocker wouldn't be any use to hunters."

"They need one badly. They killed a Volturi three months ago." He muttered drawing his hand on the table, making ripples, "Felix I think." The room fell in silence as they absorbed the shock of his words. Eventually, Esme seeked comfort in Carlisle as she put her head on his shoulder. Alice stared in front of her with her eyes wide-opened. Only Emmett said, "Pity they hadn't killed the brats." In a way, that probably reflected in what everyone thought, as neither of them was fond of Jane and Alec.

Edward turned away slightly and slumped in his seat. The girl was in trouble because of him.

"We can't leave," he said.

"Why is that, son?" Carlisle asked in a calm tone.

"Because Alice and I messed up. And now, the hunters are after a human and we should protect her, not run and let her fend for herself," Edward said.

"Oh, for God's sake, Edward! You want all of us to die because of your love for humans?" Rosalie shouted. "They are coming here, they are powerful, we have to leave. End of story." She smoothed her clothes before continuing. "It's just what we have to do."

Edward looked at her, straight into her eyes. "I thought you didn't want to leave."

"I don't. But that doesn't mean I want to die either," she said. _Idiot._

"Fine," he spatted. "You leave. I stay. I have a duty."

"Now, now, Edward and Rosalie, let's calm down. It won't help if we turn on each other," Carlisle intervened.

"It's my fault, he's right," said Alice dejected. Jasper wanted to interrupt her, but she raised a hand. "I gave Noah the information, but I did it so he wouldn't attack me and Edward. What was I supposed to do?" Jasper took her hand and murmured encouragements to her.

Emmett chipped in with his thoughts, "It wouldn't be right to leave her alone… But maybe a hunter's life isn't so bad–"

"Really, Emmett? Really?" Edward got up, he was sick of staying in one place. "Running all your life? Fighting against the unnatural? Being in danger constantly? Death by _vampire_?" His tone was raising with each question, and his hands started to shake.

He stopped, clenching the edge of a bookcase, allowing himself a few deep breaths.. "No hunter retires and reaches old age. Or have you forgot the ones you've killed, Emmett? Were they in their 20s, 30s?"

Emmett said nothing, so Edward went on. "You met Bella. You liked her. You laughed with her. Do you really want that life for her?"

"No," Emmett muttered. "Of course not."

"We could change her," Jasper said suddenly. "We could use a blocker."

"Because a vampire's life is so much better," Rosalie said..

"What if we stayed here, Jasper? What would happen?" Carlisle asked, coming to seat next to Jasper to better watch what he's doing.

"Well, I'm not sure." The screen in front of him consisted of a few portraits, some with questions marks. "That's all I know about Jeremiah's team. Eight in total. I don't know how all of them look." Carlisle nodded. "On the left side are the ones we know: Jeremiah, the leader and the strategist. Noah, the immune shapeshifter. Bob, the support guy we usually bribe for information. And this guy, their in-house Mixer, 'The Alchemist'. I don't know his real name, but he's a good mixer."

"Better than Tobias?" Alice asked..

Jasper sighed. "Some say he's the best. There are some Blocking Enhancers on the black market and apparently he invented them. They can help cover someone's tracks for a few hours. Imagine giving such an enhancer to an actual Blocker."

"How about the ones we don't know, son?"

Jasper looked on the right side. "I know that they have at least two hackers and two combat guys. One of them is called 'The Ninja'. He's very agile and has a Naginata blade. The sharpest in the world"

"What about the other one?" Emmett asked. "What's special about him?"

"No one lived to tell the tale," Jasper said in a low voice. "He must have some incapacitating ability."

"Well, they have only 3 guys actually fighting. And we're seven," said Emmett in a loud voice. "We might stand a chance."

"They are professional assassins, not just fighters. They have training. They have weapons. They have the best enhancers," Jasper explained, clasping his hands. "And this is not just a small matter to take care of it like we did in the past."

"Oh, oh, we shouldn't forget why they are coming here," Alice said. "They want to get the vampires behind the disappearances and killings in the area. If we get them, maybe they'll stop coming here."

Jasper pondered her words. "Perhaps. But they will still want the Blocker."

"It would be a good idea to investigate though," Carlisle said. "We said that we would do that days ago. We were waiting for you, Jasper."

"Actually," Rosalie said, "I kind of started watching surveillance footage from Seattle. They are three vampires, but I don't know them. Maybe you do, Carlisle."

"I'll take a look later, Rose. Any ideas what to do next?," he asked.

Jasper was already making to-do lists on his phone. "We could stay, see how things evolve. Maybe find some friends to help us."

"The Volturis might help. They would want to." Esme said.

"The Volturis aren't our friends," Edward said grimacing. "Going to them will mean a high price."

Jasper moved closer to Alice and embraced her protectively. "Volturis are not an option," he agreed. "Maybe we should reach to the Denalis. We did help them once."

"I'll speak with Irina," Carlisle said. "Maybe they'll come here if we need them."

After a moment of silence, Esme spoke again,"The Quileute shifters might help."

Emmett huffed. "Yeah, help the hunters rip us apart." Jasper leaned back on the sofa and let out a deep breath.

"But we have a treaty with them," Esme insisted. "Surely they wouldn't break it."

"They would," Edward said. "The dogs are just waiting for an opportunity to fight us. Jeremiah is charismatic, I bet it wouldn't take him more than 15 minutes to convince them to fight us."

"That's not good at all," Jasper said shaking his head. "Not good. With 5 shifters, we would have to fight 8 people if it comes to that."

Carlisle got and spoke to everybody, "We'll wait for the time being. We need to find out who are those vampires causing a rampage. Jasper, Alice, dig more about Jeremiah's team. We need as much info as we can find. Esme, call Irina as she's more your friend. Emmett, I think Garrett is in Las Vegas, so you should warn him should the hunters choose that route." Esme and Emmett got up and left to do their calls. "Edward, keep tabs on Bella Swan. And Rosalie, let's go into my office and see that footage."

* * *

**A/N: If you want to get a better picture of the table Jasper is using, search for videos of Microsoft PixelSense. Naginata blades were swords used by Japanese Samurais.**


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